


There Is No War In Ba Sing Se

by I_am_a_tumbleweed



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), crossover - Fandom
Genre: F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm new, Please read, you didn't know you needed, you'll probably like this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 15:22:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9826271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_a_tumbleweed/pseuds/I_am_a_tumbleweed
Summary: Rey is abandoned in the Outer Ring of Ba Sing Se. In her nineteen years, she's learned to scavenge and steal from many to stray from hunger...Fire Nation included. When she is met upon by a starved, dainty little girl (BB-8) with no family and only a message, her life is unknowingly changed. This little girl brings with her Fire Nation soldiers, armies, and a deadly admiral who knows nothing of mercy. In order to get information of the Earth King's "army", Admiral Ren decides to take a violent move to kidnap Ba Sing Se citizens and torture them until they give out. What he knows is that the army  consists of endangered benders, for they are mostly wiped out. What he doesn't know is that he himself kidnapped one of the most powerful benders in the world.This is a mashup of AtLA and TFA that you just didn't know you needed, but now you have it. Trust me, there are more chapters to come. Eventual smut, js.I don't own any of this, we all know this, come on. I'm just a girl with no sleep, no priorities, and quite a lot of fandoms.





	1. Burnadette VIII

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter is a little long, but aren't most? Idk, it took me forever to come up with this idea. It takes a while for the story to get going, but once it's there, wowie.

She was running. Normally, she ran in a jogging fashion. It was a way she ran when she went to work: late in an un-orderly fashion, scrambling, half-asleep with disheveled hair. This was _not_ the same running. Now, at this moment and in this time, she was  _running_. She could feel the guards chasing after her; she didn't know how, even though they were many blocks away, but she almost  _saw_ them. Her feet ached as she clutched the bag of "stolen" food across her chest. Technically, she was only stealing from thieves. To her, there was no wrong in it. Firebenders are always thieves anyway,  _especially_ in Ba Sing Se. 

Rey turned a corner, almost tripping from her ragged shoes. She heard their voices drawing near, shouting at her to halt. Her breath running short, she began to look for other ways around running. Spotting a leaking pipe, she quickly climbed it and landed on a balcony of an abandoned apartment. She knew she couldn't stay there--they were closer. She decided to climb higher until a flash of black and red appeared in the corner of her eye; they were catching up to her. 

"There!"

An intense heat knocked her off her balance, and for a moment she almost screamed. Fire threatened her feet, but she climbed higher until she was atop the stack of apartments. The firebenders followed her up the pipe, but she didn't wait for them. She ran and jumped across each stack of buildings. As she ran, she could see the outline of a crowd in the distance.  _Finally, a way out of the Abandoned District,_ she praised.

Rey felt another wave of heat fly past her cheek and she knew they were drawing closer.  _Almost there..._ She braced herself and jumped, landing hard on the ground. The three firebenders followed, but landing softer, using their own fire to cushion them. They shot at her as she got up, barely missing her ear. Rey bolted, the scent of singed hair filling her nose. Just before they shot at her again, she dived into the populated crowd of beggars, slowing her pace and blending in. She slouched and tried to hide her panting as they passed her, violently shoving starving men on their way out. Rey panted a victorious smirk as she limped home. 

 

* * *

 

There was no one in her neighborhood to greet her. She lived alone, and she preferred it so. Her hut was run down and poorly made, for she'd made it herself. When one is poor, they do what they can, and  _especially_ in the Outer Ring of Ba Sing Se. Eventually the only option is stealing, and she had begun to master the art. She had been alone for as long as she could remember, with only the memory of four words ringing from someone she can't even recall:

"We'll be back tomorrow." 

Rey had raised herself in poverty. In her first few years she lived on the streets, begging to those from the Middle Ring. Later on, she built her hut and learned to steal at night, eventually landing a job during the day. It was an exhausting job, but she'd survived worse. She remembers the day when she saw the Fire Nation armies take over; she was nine. They paraded the streets, just as they currently did. They benefited off of monopolies and stole from failing businesses. They took money, leaving the people even more poor than moral. Everyone was starving and filthy, living life horridly, and Rey only stayed for the family she was losing faith for.

As Rey was preparing her dinner she'd stolen, she heard a cry outside. Her body tensed, knowing the Fire Nation would hear. She jeered out her window and saw a child, maybe ten years old, huddled against a wall. It shook violently, sobbing with no restraint. Rey immediately felt sympathy, seeing herself in the child years ago. Flashbacks formed  from torturous memories of her, starving and hopeless. She continued staring until a flame lit torch caught her eye. _Fire Nation_. She fled outside and grasped the child's arm. 

"Shh," she whispered as the girl's eyes radiated fear. "Hush and come with me." 

"Why? W-Who are you?" 

The flames were advancing and Rey could make out the shapes of their bodies. "Nobody. Look, I won't hurt you, I promise."

To her relief, the girl eventually nodded and they silently slid into Rey's hut. She blew her lamps out and signaled for the girl to keep quiet. She had lived in this hut for years, and the Fire Nation had always believed it to be empty. She wanted to keep it that way. Huddling underneath a clothed window, she listened as the guards passed by.

"Why  _exactly_ does Firelord Snoke think we need supervision from this guy? I've never even heard of him until a week ago."

"I hear he throws temper tantrums. Some Admiral, huh?"

"Just last week I heard the General complain to Phasma that Ren destroyed a tundra tank because he couldn't find any information about the King's army." 

"Well, let's hope he doesn't kill us when he gets here. I hear his methods are torturous. Apparently he has this power to take memories from you. What kind of firebending _is_ that?"

"I don't know, but how the hell is he going to get information from the people here? They're all braindead. Besides, everyone knows the King's Dai Li are watching us-"

New and heavy footsteps approached.

"Guards! We have a problem in camp. Someone's escaped." 

Rey listened as they left, questions arising and new panic filling her. What "army" are they looking for? There weren't any benders left in the Earth Kingdom other than the Dai Li; the Fire Nation had wiped them out long ago. Benders nowadays, other than firebenders, were almost a legend. What kind of army could the King possibly have? Would they take her for interrogation? No, they couldn't take her...she didn't know anything. Rey pictured herself engulfed in fire, screaming in sweat as a monster of a man stood in front of her. They wouldn't take her...right? 

"Are they gone?"

Rey jumped, completely forgetting about the girl. She let out a breath as cold sweat dripped and she stood up, lighting her lamps again.

"Yeah. Where's your family? I'll take you home in a few minutes." There was no response and Rey raised a brow. Her hair was bright orange and ragged, her skin filthy and her clothes baggy. She saw bones through her skin in places she shouldn't and dark circles under her eyes. She didn't have a family, Rey knew, and she guessed she'd been on the streets for quite a while now, just like herself. "What's your name?" 

"Bernadette VIII, but my mother used to call me BB-8." 

Rey's stomach was furious as she split her dinner in half and gave it to BB-8. The family subject would come up later, but for now she kept it away. "How old are you?" 

"Eight," BB-8 said through a stuffed mouth. "How old are  _you_?" 

"Nineteen." Her mouth was stuffed too, both of them eating their food like scavengers. It was their normality anyways. "Where are you from?" 

BB-8 stopped chewing, her eyes casting downwards. "The Inner Ring." Rey choked on her food. 

"You're from the  _Palace_? What are you doing on the streets?!"

BB-8 continued eating, saying with a full mouth, "When I was six my mom sent me out to deliver a message from the King to the Great Wall. I had Dai Li assistants, but the Fire Nation killed them as soon as I'd gotten to the Outer Ring. They tried to take me but I had gotten lost in a crowd. I didn't have any money with me."

"But why didn't you just go back home?"

There was a hesitation, leaving a silence. Rey was terrified of silence, for eventually it brought  the worst form of violence and memories. In her case, memories were their own form of torture.

"No one knows I was born. Not even my own father. My mother never wanted me, so she never told anyone. She didn't give me a passport because she knew Ba Sing Se knew nothing of me, and as you and everyone else know, you can't go _anywhere_ without a passport. She sent me out for a reason. The soldiers at the Wall never got the King's message." 

Rey sat silently, wondering if the message was really a message or just a piece of paper, confirming the job of disownment. Looking at her, she saw BB-8 had stopped eating, a few tears leaking down. Rey decided it was none of her business. 

"You can stay here for a little while, if you'd like. I won't be here most of the time, though." 

"Why? How long have you been out here?" 

Rey didn't want to answer, but she knew it would've been rude not to. "I have a job during the day and I scavenge around at night. My parents left when I was young and I've been stuck here." 

"Do you think they would recognize you if they came back?" This was a question that Rey had been asking herself for years, but she was afraid of the truth.

"...I don't know. Get some sleep, I'll show you how to hassle things in the morning." 

As she closed her eyes, Rey made a silent promise to keep her alive.

 


	2. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pssh, I'm not spoiling, read it yoself.

Rey woke the next morning with a splash of stolen water on her face and some random poverty jokes from BB-8 to lighten the mood. The two set out, Rey taking precautions to make her hut look empty and abandoned, and made their way to Plutt's Trading Post. 

"So what I do is I stand up front and estimate the worth of what the people bring. Minerals, materials, and anything else worth value," Rey explained. She didn't mention that occasionally her job was violent and emotionally abusive by her boss. For all she knew, BB-8 could be a loud-mouth. Rey could easily lose her job, and she _needed_ it. Even  _if_ it was torture there, it was place where Rey learned to be abrasive. Being abrasive rewards with survival.

"What should I do while you work?" BB-8 questioned.

Rey thought for a moment as they turned a corner, passing starving men and women. Rey didn't give them a second look; being sympathetic is costly. "Watch for thieves and Fire Nation soldiers."

"I don't think I'll have to be _watching_ for them _._ " 

Confused, Rey looked up as they entered the marketing plaza to see new Fire Nation flags hanging down from clotheslines, walls, business doors, and broken down carts. There were rows of Fire Nation troops marching down the alleyways, some burning down wooden booths or houses, some breaking into buildings. Rey could hear crying and screaming, but she dared not look twice. There was nothing she could do. The soldiers came out with sacks of coins, most likely copper pieces. Rey was furious, and not just at the Fire Nation. What  _exactly_ was the King doing about this? For the past few years, it would've been easy for the people of Ba Sing Se to believe the King dead. His lack of interference was definitely no secret.

"Stay close to me, BB-8. Don't make eye contact with them and don't stray off," Rey said as they walked to Plutt's Post. As soon as they entered, Plutt stomped over to Rey and hovered two inches from her face. She tried not to breathe in his vile odor.

"You're ten minutes late today. You will receive no payment for your shift."

"No, I'm not," Rey argued. Plutt sneered.

"You wouldn't want me to take in the extra you've brought in today, would you?"

Rey held tighter to BB-8. "Why would you? She's free labor." A smirk showed Plutt's rotten teeth. In all of the Outer Ring, Plutt was the only one who was fat with plenty food. Rey suspected he had ties with the Fire Nation.

"You've done it again, girl.  _That_ is why I hired you. Make me money."

"Yes, sir."

Plutt stomped away, leaving Rey and BB-8 alone. 

"BB-8, I want you to stand by the money chest and watch for thieves. Keep quiet, and do not make yourself visible. There's no telling what the Fire Nation will do if they see an eight year-old working." BB-8 nodded and hid as traders fell in line. 

 

* * *

 

Rey's shift almost went by without any trouble until a fragile old man approached her. He held out five small bolts that were really nothing of value.

"How much? Please, I have a family of four and this was all I could find today," he croaked. Rey could see lines of tears on his dirty face. Sympathy hit her gut like a boulder.

"I think I could make it worth one gold piece-"

" _Gold piece_?" A crusty voice screamed. Rey's arm was yanked and she fell to the floor. She saw BB-8 hiding in the corner of her eye, holding her knees. Plutt stood above her, a flame in his eye. He looked over at the bolts and threw them back at the old man. "These are worth  _nothing_!" Plutt's foot kicked at her back and she cried out. "I hired you for your backbone, girl. Don't make me break it... No pay for a _week!_ " He gave her one last kick and left. Rey looked at BB-8, as if saying  _Don't you dare get up._ Rey stood and rubbed her back, looking at the old man. She let out a breath and looked around before handing him two gold pieces. He only nodded, taking the hint not to say anything, for Plutt might hear. He held on to her hand a bit longer in gratitude before he hobbled off. This was the end of her shift. 

BB-8 stood, stretching her back.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, that kind of thing is normal around here."

"HEY!" Rey froze as two Fire Nation soldiers ran towards them. Fire hovered in their hands as if they were waiting for it to pounce. "The age limit, according to law, to be under working conditions is twelve. The fine is twenty gold pieces for cruel management." 

" _Cruel management_? Are you  _kidding me_ -"

"Don't make us use force." They held up their hands, threatening her. She bit her tongue until it bled, her rage ebbing and radiating from her body. For a moment, it seemed as if a kind of force made the earth quake.

"No! You're charging  _me_ for cruel management, when _you're_ burning down a god damned family's housebecause they won't just give you money for no reason! There is no way in  _hell_ that I am paying! Do you have ANY IDEA how many  _starving_ kids a day I see collapse on the streets because YOU take their food and money? ABSOLUTELY NO-" Fire knocked her over, and an intense burn sizzled on her stomach. 

"How dare you talk to your superiors like this, scavenger. No wonder Admiral Ren wishes to rid the world of rats like  _you_ ," a soldier spat at her. Rey saw some of her blood leak through her rags of clothes. Just then, Plutt entered, and as soon as he saw the soldiers, he froze. Their hands raised, threatening him as well. After seeing Rey on the floor, he hurried to the money chest--six years of Rey's work--and handed it to them. "Thank you for cooperating." Just as they came, they left. Plutt clasped Rey's arm, her whole body feeling burned.

"Find them, or I'll sell them  _her_." He pointed to BB-8 and dropped Rey. As he left, Rey stood and looked around following the firebender's trail.

"BB-8, stay here, and  _do not_ leave." With only a nod, Rey took off, trying her best to ignore the inexplicable pain in her abdomen. 

 

* * *

 

Once again, she was running. Images of Plutt taking BB-8 seeped into her mind as she was chasing after the thieves. Her hypocrisy was blinded by fear and rage. Spotting them, she ran to an abandoned alley and hid behind a burned down hut. She grabbed a metal rod that was covered in ash and soot, attempting to conspire a plan. The three benders gave each other splittings of the money they carried, and Rey continued to picture BB-8 being taken in her head. Every bad thing that's happened to her circled into her brain and formed before her eyes. _This is_ their _fault._  Tears formed as she heard them speak.

"Stupid scavengers, always falling for it."

"Yeah, it's not like she was protecting the girl."

"I say we take the younger one tonight to send her a message."

Rey fumed and she ran towards them, her feet pounding on the earth. She felt everything around her vibrate as the benders noticed her and dropped the money. They extended their hands and flames shot past her. She dodged their attacks and ran further until the middle one threw fire at her feet. She shuddered and jumped, landing hard on her toes. As she did, the strangest thing she's ever seen happened. The ground shook and the soldiers  _sank_ into the ground. They sank all the way down to their shoulders. They attempted to keep firing, but it was pointless. Rey was too frantic to think; she figured it was merely an earthquake, or a random rock slide. She glared at the benders and clutched the metal rod in her hand.

"I'll start with the younger one, just to send you all a message," she spat, and pummeled their heads, knocking them out. She'd only hope that they'd lose their memory as she collected the money and ran back to Plutt's. Her adrenaline was wearing off and her body began to feel lacerated. Her abdomen was now covered in blood and she became light headed. 

When she returned, she threw the chest of money in a safe cabinet and searched around for BB-8. Not finding her, panic flooded Rey's shaking body.  _No...Plutt wouldn't. It's only been, what, thirty minutes?_

"BB-8?" Nothing. She looked under cabinets, behind the opening, around the front door, nothing. "BB-8!" 

"Here, here, I'm here," Rey heard a little voice advancing towards her. She turned to see BB-8 running with a bucket of water. "I figured you'd want to wash off the blood." She handed Rey the bucket. Thankful, she placed her hand into it, turning the water pink. Immediately, Rey felt better. The singeing in her skin only felt like a pulled muscle. 

"Thank you," she said. Her eyes closed as her body healed.

"...Does it hurt?" BB-8 didn't look worried for Rey's sake; she looked terrified for her own.

"Not anymore. I don't know why, but whenever I touch water, I always feel better. I guess I have superpowers, right?" Rey managed to let out a wispy laugh. However, BB-8 wasn't amused. She was petrified. "Well, should probably go. Things get worse at night." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh I think Rey has some dangerous geneeeeetiiiiiiiccccsss. Also, Plutt's a rotten bastard, we all know this. ALSO also, I know, this is getting a little boring, but the next chapter will spice things up a little. Pinky promise.


	3. Nyctophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nyctophobia: fear of the dark. Triggered by the brain's perception of what would, or could, happen when in a dark environment.
> 
> Woohoo Wiki.
> 
> Enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I previously wrote this like an hour ago and it deleted. I'm basically crying as I furiously rewrite it. I'm also falling asleep after every other word, so if something is wrong or doesn't make sense, please let me know. Enjoy this chapter for my sake.

Rey and BB-8 approached the hut until they heard rustling inside. Fear clawed at Rey's insides as she signaled BB-8 to wait there. Clutching the rod in her hands, she snapped open the door to see a single firebender going through her stuff.

"Oy!" she yelled and smashed the rod against his head. 

"Ow! I'm sorry, I thought this place was abandoned--knock it off!" he argued as he fell to the floor. Rey pointed the end of the rod at him as he held his hands up in surrender. 

"What are you doing in my hut?" she barked. The bender looked shocked, like he wasn't expecting her to fight him. Actually, to Rey, he seemed nothing like a firebender at all. His skin was dark, almost like the Water Tribe. 

"I was looking for clothes," he mumbled. Rey almost laughed.

"Sorry, but I'm not your size. Where are the other firebenders? You monsters always travel in groups." The bender gave her a look.

"I ran off. Don't worry, I can't bend. I'm from the Water Tribe. They took me in when I was seven and raised me in the military, but I never signed up to torture people and boycott them into starvation." 

"We were already in starvation."

"It's going to get worse." 

Rey lifted the rod, letting him sit up. If he wanted to hurt her, he would've done it by now, or at least tried. 

"Stay there." Rey watched him carefully as she backed away from him, leaving to call in BB-8. They returned, and Rey continued to watch him. Suddenly she remembered the previous night, when the firebenders were called to take care of an escapee. "Are you the guy who escaped yesterday?"

"Yeah, that's me. I'm Finn." 

"Rey. This is BB-8." Finn gave BB-8 a strange look. "What do you mean things are going to get worse?"

"Yesterday Admiral Ren was omitted into the Earth Kingdom. He's currently underground in a secret military base the Fire Nation built years ago."

Rey remembered the guards mentioning how Ren's forms of torture were monstrous, and her back ran a shiver. "Why is he here?" she asked.

"I don't necessarily know. I've only been given orders to boycott businesses throughout the Outer Ring and outside the Wall. He's purposefully starving the kingdom." 

Rey fumed. "Why?"

"I think he's trying to get the King to interfere so that he can kidnap him." Rey only stared at Finn. 

"I don't see the point in any of this. The Fire Nation already has control over Ba Sing Se's people, why does he need the King?" 

"A week ago I overheard that the King has a secret army somewhere, and no one knows where it is. We've gotten massive attacks, our supplies stolen, our ships and tanks blown up. They're causing the Nation inconveniences. Ren has taken many of the soldiers, but before he could try to interrogate them, they kill themselves." 

Rey saw BB-8 flinch out of the corner of her eye. "Well what are you going to do about it?" 

Finn looked at the ground, then back up to her. "I'm going to try and find the army. I hear the last few rare element benders in the world are there. The Avatar might even be there for all I know."

"The what?" Rey questioned. Both BB-8 and Finn looked at her with a skeptical face.

"You're not serious?" BB-8 asked. 

"Um...yes? What's an Avatar? Is that a new military weapon?" 

"You really don't know about the Avatar?" Finn inquired.

"Well, the Avatar hasn't been found in over 400 years. They're either really good at hiding or the cycle is dead," BB-8 mumbled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Rey demanded. She was getting frustrated. "What's an Avatar?" BB-8 gave out a sigh.

"The Avatar is the master of all four elements. Only the legendary ones were known to bend anything that was brought before them. But, those ones were only mythical, I guess. Anyways, the Avatar hasn't been found in over four-hundred years. Every time one dies, a new one begins. The soul travels from body to body. I had learned all about it when I was five. Royalty knowledge." 

Finn looked at her weirdly. "Royalty knowledge?" 

"She's from the Inner Ring," Rey acknowledged. 

"Seriously?! Do you know anything about the army? Or what the King is planning?"

"Finn, she was abandoned at six, leave her alone-"

"Actually, I do," BB-8 interjected. Both of them stared at her.

"...Why didn't you tell me?" Rey asked. 

"I didn't really realize it until just now." BB-8 dug into her pocket and fished out a small scroll of paper, tied in a green ribbon. The letter from the King. "I opened it two weeks after they wouldn't let me back into the Inner Ring. I was angry and I wanted to know why I risked my life for this piece of paper. It's a location, but it isn't very good. It's almost like a summary of where it is." She handed the paper to Rey and stared blankly out the window. Rey and Finn eagerly opened it only to find one word:

Air

"The Air Temples? There's no way in hell we can get there!" Finn argued. 

"There's also no way in hell you can survive on the streets at four years old, but hey, I did it," Rey hissed. Finn only looked down at her baggy cloths and bony skin.

"We can  _not_ let the Fire Nation find this girl."

 

* * *

 

It was bad enough that Rey was housing one complete stranger, but now she was housing two, with one being a Fire Nation escapee. Rey woke the next morning and headed for work, leaving Finn to look after BB-8. She was praying to a god she didn't believe in that she'd made the right decision. As she was entering the marketing district, she noticed something that set her on edge. There were less people, and the people who remained were crying with an abnormal violence. Keeping her head down, Rey made her way to Plutt's until a woman no older than she stopped her. Her hair was an absolute mess and her face was bright red and streaked with tears. She looked like she'd been crying for hours on end.

"Have you seen my brother? He's my height, brown hair, brown eyes. Please,  _please_ tell me you've seen him?" she begged. Rey left her grasp quickly.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sure he'll be back soon," Rey fake assured and returned walking to work. 

Throughout her shift she had been counting. Twenty-seven people asked her all day if she had seen their brother, sister, son, daughter, father, mother, or boyfriend. Rey was astounded. No one leaves Ba Sing Se without passports, and no one in the Outer Ring could afford them. So,  _no one_ left Ba Sing Se. Something was going on.

Other than being asked twenty-seven times about missing people, another question nagged in the back of her head.  _I hope I can trust Finn._ Rey had been biting her nails throughout the day, worrying for BB-8. It was strange for her, to worry about such an important stranger. She honestly couldn't believe she'd left the future of safety in the hands of a runaway Fire Nation guard, but she guessed it was only slightly better than taking her to work again.

When Rey got back to her hut it was nearly nightfall. The sun was setting, which meant job number two was approaching. She entered her place to find Finn and BB-8 deep in conversation, a wave of relief rolling over her. She could trust him.

"So, did you wash yourself or did you have servants that washed you?"

"I told you, I was kept in seclusion from the palace. No one looked after me but occasionally a maid."

"Wow. Your mom must've really hated you if-"

Rey coughed loudly, interrupting them.

"Oh, hey Rey!" BB-8 grinned. 

"I got you some food for tonight. I'll be back sometime around three in the morning," Rey said, handing Finn a bag of bread. He took it absentmindedly. 

"What? You just got back," he argued.

"That was just my first job. Besides, my night job is worth more value, anyway." She began to put on her scavenging gear.

"Rey, you need to sleep. You look exhausted. Also, people have gone missing! What if you get abducted or something?"

Rey let out a laugh, something she had not done in years. "I'll be fine. I've been doing this for fourteen years, Finn. Now, take care of BB-8 for me while I'm gone, okay?"

Finn was hesitant to answer, but he eventually nodded.

"Rey, please don't go," BB-8 pleaded. Rey looked down at her.

"I have to. I need this job." BB-8 shook her head. 

"I'll help you more at work, we can find a different way to get money, but don't go out into the dark." 

Rey bent down, leveling herself out with the little girl. "I promise you, I will be back tomorrow." 

BB-8 leaped forward and hugged Rey. Human affection is something Rey has never remembered feeling in her lifetime, and she hesitated returning it. She eventually did, however, giving Finn a final nod before she left.

 

* * *

 

When Rey first began scavenging, she had that  constant feeling of being watched. She came to accept in her mind that some Dai Li were out there, but she knew they'd never hurt her. Every now and then she'd run into a security camera or maybe something else. Rarely did she stumble across animals, but it wasn't unheard of. She had learned to just overcome the feeling in a span of fourteen years, but on this night, the feeling was back and stronger. 

There was a little blue light on the tip of her mask that helped her see valuable minerals or toxic substances. It was her only light source, for the stars and moon were absent. The sky was completely empty, leaving the world around her black. Ba Sing Se didn't have street lamps or random candles outside. At least, not in the Outer Ring. Unfortunately, the one source Rey had was fading, and her visibility was slowly dying. She knew she'd have to return to the hut before the light blew out completely. Once it did, she'd have no way back until morning. 

Rey began to pack up her bag of minerals and pieces of scrap metal she found. Just as she'd slung the bag across her chest, the feeling of being watched increased to where she almost felt like   someone was right behind her. Her heart quickened its pace a few beats as the light was just about gone.  _I need to go._ She stood up, looking around at what she could see. Before she took a step, her light bursted, leaving nothing but darkness.  _Shit. It's okay, Rey, there's no one there. Just walk around a little until you see-_ a twig snapped. Someone was there.

Rey's entire body froze, and she turned around, staring into nothing. It felt like she stared into nothing for hours, her legs practically paralyzed. She opened her mouth, deciding breathing from her nose was too loud. She waited for something to make a noise, for a light to go off, anything. She pictured horrid images of what could be in the darkness right in front of her. Maybe they were behind her for all she knew, ready to attack her. Her heartbeat quickened and her body was tipsy with adrenaline. She felt her arms begin to twitch. Rey realized she was terrified of darkness because it brought the only other thing she was scared of: silence. And the two together were the most terrifying of all.  _You need to run. Now._ Without a second thought, Rey's feet pounded against the ground. Her heart and her feet were the only things she could hear, drowning out the heavy footsteps behind her. She ran with her hands outstretched until she ran into a wall, causing her to almost squeak. Her body was shaking, like that feeling someone gets when they're extremely excited or happy. The body movements were the same, but the mental state was rather opposite.

Just as Rey outstretched her arms again, she felt a gloved hand cover her mouth. Her body was too shocked to scream. Instead, she blindly punched around. Her fist hit plastic, indicating her assaulter was wearing a mask. She kept throwing punches, but they affected nothing. A sharp pain in her brain caused her to stop. She'd had migraines a few times in her life, but this was  _nothing_ close to a mere migraine. It felt like something was crawling around inside her brain, stretching it and pulling on pieces. Rey swore her head was on _fire_. She would've screamed, but instead her body stopped moving and she felt her eyelids drop. Then there was nothing.

 

* * *

 

 He looked at her, a heap of a starving mess in the dirt. She was just bony and ragged with a poorly made mask that covered her face. He yanked it off, not surprised at her appearance. Her cheekbones stuck out too far and her eyes had dark circles. The freckles made everything look worse. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was dead.  _She'll break easily._


	4. The First Order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but this one's a little short. I'll make five a little longer, aight?

Silence and darkness. The two together brought Rey nightmares. She could see herself when she was four years old, an arm tugging on her as she watched her family, or whoever they were, leave her. She heard herself crying, screaming at them to come back, but they were gone. She saw the train station, filled with people who didn't even glance at her twice. It didn't matter though, she never looked at them either. She only stared at a cement wall, tears absent from her face. She was hungry and cold, but she just told herself to stop feeling. She listened as she heard happy families reunite, some gladly getting on the train to leave Ba Sing Se. She watched over time as new carts came, hoping to see her family step off one. She did this until she realized that they weren't coming back.

The door to her cell opened and Rey flinched, exhaling a breath she was holding. The new air cooled her wet cheeks. A man with slicked back red hair and a firm face entered as two firebenders remained outside. Rey noted that he was wearing gloves. 

"Why did you take me? What do you want with me?" Rey hissed. The man only stood there with his arms folded behind his back.

"The First Order would like you to only cooperate. If you give us what we need, you'll be sent back to your... _important_ life." 

Rey scowled. Is  _that_ what they're calling themselves now? The First Order? "I have nothing to give you." 

"And physically, you have nothing that we want." The man made a sneering face as he looked up and down her body. "Mentally though, you may have value. Tell us what we need to know and we'll feed you. You look like you'll only last about two more hours anyway." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Where are the benders? What has the king done with them?" 

"Why would you think I know?  _You're_ the one who kidnapped me last night, aren't you?"

He grinned. "Tough to say, all you rats look similar.  _Where are the benders?_ "

"I'm from the Outer Ring-"

"Let's not state the obvious. It's the perfect place to hide someone withholding information-"

"- _why_ would I know  _anything_ about the king's army?" 

The man eyed her, not breaking eye contact. She felt like he was seeing right through her, and of all times, Rey's mind turned to BB-8.

"I never said he had an army."

Rey swallowed hard. So what? It was a misinterpretation, a slight mistake. Was she going to be beheaded for it or something?

"General Hux, Commander Phasma wishes to speak with you," one of the soldiers outside stated.

The man, Hux, gave Rey one last sneer before he glided out of the room. Rey exhaled and looked up at the freshly dark ceiling. Hux took the light with him. Here come the nightmares, once more.

Rey could see BB-8 being handed off, her arm buried in Hux's hand. What would he do with Rey if he found out what they knew? Or worse, what would he do to BB-8?

"Hello? Is anyone there?" a masculine voice called out. Rey figured they were in a cell to her right.

"Yeah, I'm here." Rey couldn't help but feel a slight relief that she wasn't alone. Then again, she really didn't feel like talking. 

"What's your name?" he asked. 

"Rey. Yours?" 

"Poe. Is this your first time here?" 

Rey knitted her brow. "It's not exactly a tourist's paradise." She heard a laugh.

"I've been here twice. Some Water Tribe guard helped me out." Rey sat up a little.

"Finn?"

"Yeah, that was his name. Know him?"

"He tried to steal my clothes."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but you sound like a girl. Did he think he was skinny enough or do you just have good fashion?"

"How do you know I'm not healthy and heavy? He might've been able to fit in them."

"You're from the Outer Ring. No one there is healthy." Rey didn't answer. She didn't feel the necessity to remind herself of what she called home. "I'm from there too--well, I moved there with my sister." Rey remembered the girl who begged her if she'd seen her brother, and she wondered if this was him. It was a shame she couldn't see him. Then her mind drifted back to BB-8 and Finn. Soon they were going to wake up, finding Rey didn't come back. BB-8 is going to have the false hope that she'll return, and just like Rey, she'd wait until it was hopeless.  _No, I'm getting out of here. They said if I tell them what I know they'll let me go. They won't do anything to me if I don't know anything, right?_

"Poe, they let you out of here when they're through with their interrogation, right?" Rey asked with a quiver in her voice. His answer was late.

"Only if you're dead."

 

* * *

 

 Hux proceeded on route, his gloved hands fisting. Of all things to do on that day, the  _last_ he wanted was to speak with Ren. Even  _if_ he had someone with answers and possible a pay raise. 

As he approached Ren's quarters, he firmly knocked twice, already filled with annoyance. 

"Enter," a mechanical voice barked. Hux entered and stared at a fixed spot on the wall. 

"Sir, I believe I have found a prisoner that knows information of the bending army." 

Ren was standing in a corner, looking at a map of the Earth Kingdom hanging on a wall. He did not move at Hux's words. 

"Is this going to be another false alarm? Another  _mistake_? Because if it is, I will have to inform the Firelord of your screw-ups. We are running out of time, General." 

Hux felt his ears grow red. "I know she knows something, I-"

" _She_?" Ren repeated. His helmet only moved slightly. 

"Yes, sir, a captured girl. Somehow she knew it was an army. I gave her no information." 

"Where is she?" 

"She is in cell B-59." Ren's helmet moved back to where it previously was. 

"You're an idiot, she's next to the escapee. He's been speaking with her." Hux did not answer, shame filling his chest. "No need to feel shameful. You should feel fear instead. I'm informing the Firelord-"

"Just  _speak_ with her. She knows something, I know it. She didn't inquire where she was, what time it was, if she would die,  _anything_ that the others have asked. She wasn't panicking or crying, either. Speak with her, or I'll have a talk with the Firelord about  _negligence._ " With that, he left. 


	5. Power

Rey didn't know why, but she was moved rooms. The only hope for sanity and distraction from her nightmares was taken from her. The Fire Nation were all monsters. She'd lost track of how long she was there. There was no sun to tell time, no moon to count nights. Rey continued to bite her fingernails in worry of BB-8 and Finn. She could only hope they were okay...there was nothing she could do. 

Hux visited her several times, never getting information from her. They stopped feeding her and strapped her to a table, taking away her freedom to move. The only abilities she was left with were to breathe and try meditation to soothe her panicking. She wasn't going to give in. She counted to high numbers, counted backwards, did  _anything_ to keep her mind off of BB-8  and herself. As she did so, eventually her mind thought about bending. She used to be obsessed with it when she was young. She thought it would make her life easier, so she tried it. She tried everyday, over and over with no results. She was just an average person living with the rest of a starved humanity. She soon realized that hoping to move a few rocks was juvenile and inappropriate for her situation, so she gave up. However, as she thought about it again, she absentmindedly stroked the metal table, leaving it rippled underneath her fingertips. Since she couldn't see, she assumed the texture was only from her clothes. Rey started to count again until she felt something inside her change. She began to feel heavy, like the darkness was beginning to take her from the inside out. She felt the table vibrate and after a few minutes she heard footsteps. Whoever it was was alone. 

The steps got closer and closer until the door to her cell swung open, almost  _too_ violently. What stood in front of her would've been  _terrifying_ if her mind was healthy. Unfortunately, she was starving and half dead, the image only apparent. The man-or machine of a man-that stood in front of her was massive, his shoulders barely fitting through the doorway. Everything he wore was black, leaving nothing visible but his helmet and the shadow behind him as the light from the hallway only shone on his back. Anger, power, and impatience just  _radiated_ off of him. Rey kept her eyelids half shut, but her eyebrows scrunched. If this was her execution, she might as well just welcome it.  _What the hell is wrong with you? BB-8 and Finn still need you, you're not going to die._

The man held up what seemed to be a file. A  _large_ one. 

"You've caused the Fire Nation some trouble," his mechanical voice echoed. She said nothing. "You are nameless,  homeless, have no family, and no personal information whatsoever. Sounds perfect for an agent,  no?" Rey just stopped looking at him and stared at the open door. The light leaked in and it was beautiful. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, " she mumbled. It sounded unconvincing,  and she knew he knew it. He stood still for a minute, then circled her like she was prey. In his eyes, if he had any, she probably was. 

"I'm not here to play. I'm here to get what I want, and you're here to give it to me. What do you know of the King?" 

"He's a self-centered bastard who's isolated himself for economic improvement in the inner rings. Oh, and he's not an earthbender. Because you killed all of those." 

"Where's his army? The benders, where are they?"

"I. Don't. Know. Fuck off." When she said that, something in the atmosphere changed. She felt a quiver,  like an  earthquake. The man slung his arm and a beam of fire exploded from it. It was unlike anything she'd seen from a firebender--it was chaotic, messy, and  _powerful._ It was a terrifying explosion, the heat burning her tired eyes. 

"I'm going to ask you again:  _where are they_?" 

Rey said nothing and glared into to "eyes" of his mask, clenching her jaw. As silence was at it's best, he raised his arm and a sudden crash slammed her head against the wall. She couldn't breathe or see, everything was spinning. There were screams in her head-- _her_ screams. Her memories were racing and all of her emotions drowned her. Her head was burning and tearing apart, everything inside her body searing. She wanted to scream, but she could only gasp for air. She recognized this pain; this was the man that kidnapped her. 

"You are lonely, afraid of darkness. You feel a longing with a false hope." Rey grunted as he continued to speak, leaning closer and speaking softer.

" _S-Stop._ "

He slung his hand back and a feeling of Nirvana hit Rey. Everything stopped, and she was horrified. He can see everything. 

"You've seen something. You know where they are. Tell me and I won't do that again."

A tear slipped down her cheek, her lip and breaths quivering. "You're a monster." Nothing happened for a while until he raised his arms and clicked his mask, lifting it up and slamming it on a vent. Rey dared not falter, even though she was expecting a torn creature with black eyes and no soul. He was the opposite: a boy with emotions pouring from his eyes. He looked broken, even. She felt so many things from him; anger, rage, pity, longing, fear, curiosity, and sickness. A different kind of monster. 

"Just tell me." He almost sounded pleading, but she remained furious. 

"No," she spat, her voice cracking. Whatever was in his eyes before was gone and replaced by anger and frustration. He stomped forward, whipping his arm in front of her and grabbing her head. This time, she screamed. Everything--it felt like whiplash. Every year, every moment in her life. Hunger, crying, sleeping, staring into the empty sky. Her years passed, she got taller, thinner, emptier. Twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen. She saw Plutt beating her, the nights where she went home without food. When she scavenged and fell, breaking her leg. She saw everything in her eyes as she squinted and clenched every muscle. She knew he was watching her, through his own eyes and through his mind. It was so painful. She wanted to scream again until her gut clenched when she saw BB-8. She squeezed her fist.  _No. NO._ Rey opened her eyes and looked into his with rage. He only slightly hesitated, pushing down more on her. The pressure grew but she locked the memories of BB-8. Rey pushed back, damnit, and she fought him. She felt him try to let go but something inside her jolted and she exploded, fire tracing her fingertips and wrapping around her arms. She broke through his mind, images flying past her. A young boy, broken and angry with brotherly blood on his hands. It was his life. Kylo Ren's. She saw everything and everyone. His tears, his outrageous fire. She saw a tall man in black clothing and a mask, his fire calm but evil. He was menacing, evil pouring from him. Then everything lurched and she broke from him. He cut her off. 

Rey gasped, trying to catch her breath. Her clothes were burned and her mind was on the brink of collapsing completely. However, she kept her deadly gaze on him. He looked terrified. Snatching his helmet, he stormed out and slammed the door. 

* * *

 

_She's a fucking bender._ Ren didn't know how to deal with the information. He flared his nostrils, his body tingling with the darkest fury he's felt in a while. He left to his room, clenching his fists. He didn't know if he was threatened or lucky. She has it, the power. That filthy scavenger had the potential to resist  _him,_ of all fucking people. Was she to be reported and used as another military officer? His superior? His "partner"? No, he wanted to kill her. Yet, he can't hide this from his master. She was his threat, and she didn't deserve this power. She was no one, and Ren didn't know what to do. Of all people, she looked easiest to break, even  _if_ he knew there was something different with her. True, she threw him off guard with her resistance. She was more powerful than she knew. She was defiant as hell, and he will remember the look in her eye when he broke her off. She radiated. 

He slammed open his door and let out a scream, punching the wall and blasting fire every-which way. Everything in his room burned and his wall shattered. He was going to have to get rid of her. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's really short, sorry.

Rey felt the closest to death she's ever felt. She felt like a hero in a story, where they have a scene of  bursting energy and are assumed to live with vitality, but then collapse and die in exhaustion. She felt her energy and vitality leave her as suddenly as it came, and she felt barely alive. Her eyelids drooped and her body limped, cold from her desecrated clothing. The hinges of the door that Ren slammed broke, letting a silver strand of light leak in. She was aware of her breath and her cold, tear stained cheeks. Her eyes burned. She waited for a revelation, for a feeling of closure, for something to wake her up from this empty trance. Just before she closed her eyes, the stream of light was interrupted by a petite figure. Rey sat up, in terror.

"BB-8...n-no," she mumbled. The figure stood for a few minutes, then left. "No...n-no... _no_!" Rey's voice cracked with a scream as she violently attempted to rip her metal restraints. Her heart raced as BB-8 disappeared.  _Come back...come back!_ BB-8's screams ran out, ringing in Rey's ears. "NO!" 

Rey felt herself explode, just as she had done with Ren. The metal wrapped around her screeched and constricted, tearing itself apart. It tore her wrists as it broke, and she felt the warm blood trickle down her fingertips as she fell to the floor. Her mind stimulated, she stumbled out of the room with blood dripping around her. Her footsteps made the metal vibrate. When she reached the blindingly white hall, she frantically looked for BB-8, but found nothing. She heard laughter to her left and followed it, running down the metal hallway. She turned a corner to find a massive black set of doors, the laughter muffled inside. Rey opened them and stumbled inside with barely any life left, looking and praying for BB-8, but the massive room was empty. She fell down in tears, sobbing as the laughter died. BB-8 wasn't there--she was hallucinating. Rey caught sight of what looked to be a bathroom and drug herself to it, hoping for water. She reached for what she figured was a bathtub, though she's never used one, and started to pull on whatever she could. Cold water shot out when she pulled on a lever, and Rey desperately reached for it with a bloody hand. It barely touched her middle finger before everything went black.

 

* * *

 

 

Ren stood rigid outside Firelord Snoke's massive doors, fighting himself whether or not to enter. She stood him up, resisted him,  _firebended_. She was a firebender. She belongs to his army, she belongs to Snoke, and she belongs in the Nation among him by his side. Snoke would welcome her with open arms, but would Ren? Would she replace him?  _No._

Furious, Ren turned around and headed back for her, determined not to let her surpass him again. He was so focused on his anger towards the girl that the absence of guards slipped his mind. However, he wasn't even near the door when he stopped dead in his tracks, hastily looking around at the mess in the what was once white hall. At his feet, traces and pools of fresh blood stuck to the metal floor. Streaks and handprints lined the walls, originating from the shriveled door to her cell.  _Fuck._ Ren strode to the room, his breaths heaving as he attempted to calm down. When he entered, relaxation was pointless. He circled around the melted table and burned clothes. It looked like a bomb exploded, soot and scorch marking the walls and ceiling. The whole metal room was bent and out of place. Someone else had to have done this; no mere firebender could produce this kind of damage. Ren let out a furious scream as he ignited, his fire pulsing through his veins and erupting out of him as he punched the bent wall. 

Hux appeared behind him, morbidly annoyed. "For  _fuck's sake,_ what did you do?" 

Ren whipped around, tempted to choke him. "Lock this god damned place down!" He shoved him out of the way as he followed the blood smears. At this point, he figured the blood wasn't even hers; it was his guards'. The trail was short, and he was even more angry when he reached his room, the doors slightly open. He controlled his breathing and prepared himself to fire at the first thing that moved. When he entered, though, it was completely still. Blood stringed against his floor and led to his bathroom. Quietly, he opened the doors to find darkness. He wish he hadn't lit the lanterns, for the messy red pool surrounding the dead girl was morbid.


	7. Chapter Seven: Blue

His anger quickly left him. He stood there, his mind racing. He didn't know if he was relieved because his problem was quickly solved, or disappointed because...well, he didn't know why. He crouched down and looked at her closely. She was dead, most certainly, and he felt like it was finally safe to stare at her. When she was alive, he was worried he'd just stand stupidly and stare, just as he did the night he took her. 

* * *

 

That night, he was sick of Hux's whining and Snoke's threatening that he left the bunker to get fresh air and possibly another hostage. He went the long way, avoiding the disgusting people that made their living in the Outer Ring. His black uniform and mask blended with the darkness of the alleyway as he found a decent run down house to sit at for a while. He remembered sitting on the roof at midnight and looking at the black sky. There weren't any stars, which was appropriate for the hopeless atmosphere. His mask had a new technology installed from the Air Refugees that permitted him to see anything in the darkness. He could see the burned neighborhood, the broken and dry fountains, the cracks in the walls of houses, the animals that hid behind garbage cans, and especially the approaching blue light from the entrance of the Abandoned District. He stood and quietly jumped from the roof, landing and lurking towards it. 

When he got close enough to see the source, he stopped. It was only a single girl that looked on the brink of starvation. She was more slim and bony than healthy, but she looked somehow strong. Ren felt his eyes burn through his mask and just stare. He didn't know why she was so interesting to him. Maybe it was the way she moved, her body light and demanding when she walked. She was short, but her legs were _so_ long. He wanted to touch them, to put his massive hand on her tiny abdomen. He wanted to cover her, to hide her from the world. He wanted her to drown in his bed, to disappear in his sheets, to wear his clothing. He found himself yearning to rip her mask off, to see her eyes. Without thinking, he put one foot in front of the other and followed her.

She almost danced when she climbed up a house and down a basement, searching for scrap materials. Her abdomen stretched when she jumped up and caught herself on a railing. All the while, she was extremely alert. Ren felt like he couldn't look at her anymore without her feeling his eyes. She never turned her back to him until she left a building and went to another. He followed her to one particular house with rubble in the living room, when he noticed her light began to fade. Her movements were faster and less careful. She started to make noise and he could tell she was terrified. Just as she stood up to leave, Ren felt a sudden panic that she was about to disappear, and he wanted to look at her for just a few more minutes. He raised his hand and her lightbulb exploded.

"Shit..." she hissed. She froze at the door, her back to him, and he took very careful and quiet steps towards her. He was almost to her when he stepped on a branch, snapping it in half.  _Damn it._ The girl whipped around and faced him. They were so close that he could almost touch her, urging him to lift his hand and hover it above her mask. She just stood there, oblivious to him, darkness shielding him and deceiving her. His gloved fingers almost touched her mask before she bolted from him. He was tempted to smile at her ridiculousness when she hit a wall. That was when he snapped out of whatever damned trance she put him in and with a sweep of his hand, he took her consciousness. He was furious with her; she could've damn near taken his soul. She was a siren, a beautiful monster, that took his sense away. He wanted to see her burn for it. 

Proving to himself that he had control, he took her mask off and glared down at her, ignoring the quivering in his lower abdomen. He knew she didn't know anything of the King, but he picked her up and took her anyways.

* * *

 

Her arm was dangling over the rim of his black tub, water pouring out of the faucet. She was stunning, yet the sight sickened Ren. Crimson blood dripped from her slender fingers into the pink water. It splattered against the mix of freckles, sweat, and soot on her face. Her hair was burned in some places and in others matted with dried blood. Ren removed his gloves and touched her face, that feeling of want coming back. He couldn't do anything now; she was dead. He supposed it was best to clean up the mess and move on. However, he didn't feel right by leaving her in a scarlet mess. He picked her up and placed her in the tub, the water turning from pink to a thick, metallic scented red. His hand touched hers and washed away the blood, avoiding the slits on her wrists. Her hand was so small and fragile, like the hand of a child. He wiped the blood from her face, her neck, her arms, her oh so long legs, and her feet. When she was clean, pale, and lifeless, he sat in a heap of blood and stared, confused. He didn't know what to do...should he burn her? Should he bury her somewhere? 

As he stood to get a guard, he noticed a glowing out of the corner of his eye. The water was losing color. The girl's fingertips began to glow a warm, blue light as the blood in the water somehow seeped back into her wrists. Ren watched in disbelief as the water turned clear and her wrists healed. He was tempted to slam the bathroom door shut and lock it, to run, to stay, to kill her again, to do _something_ , but then her eyes opened. They contained no corneas or irises as he expected; instead, they were the same color as her fingertips: blue. Her eyes were glowing blue.  _That's not possible._  

She stood up as if she had all the power in the world, and Ren felt fear and awe inside him. A few seconds passed and the glowing in her eyes faded. Her skin was dripping and pale, but there was no blood to be seen. The girl's eyes became alive, but tired, as she gasped for breath. Her weak legs shook and she fell, water splashing away and evaporating in the air. Ren's mouth parted as he sat still on the floor, staring at the unconscious but alive girl.

"You," he whispered, "aren't just a firebender."


	8. Chapter 8: Trapped

She dreamt of rain. Angry rain, quiet rain, muddy rain, clean rain. That one was her favorite: clean rain. It wasn't sad, like rain usually was, where the world was crying and making a mess of the earth. Clean rain was nostalgic and pure, where light seeps through slits of clouds and the scent of trees with wet concrete mixes together. It's not too cold and it's never warm. It makes someone feel hopeful, that a new beginning will start, that the world is rinsing itself from the dirt and evil. There aren't any rainbows that "promise resolution"; it's blue, it's grey, it's empty, and it's beautiful. Rey has only heard of this rain from the traders and beggars in her home. She hears about it from refugees, the ones from the Fire Nation that escaped. Rey was desperate to touch the heavy droplets, to feel soaked to the bone and clean. She wanted to sink her hands in mud and then rinse them in the skies water. She pictured herself somewhere with grass and trees. A place where dust and tears don't exist. Where there isn't any dry rock or dirt, no crumbling buildings, and no hunger or pain. Just a peaceful, rainy utopia. But some dreams can't come true.

Rey's eyes cracked open to nothing. There was no light or sound--only darkness. It was so heavy that she could barely breathe. She sat up and felt heavy blankets weigh her down. Her hand caressed them, touching their softness. The bed, or she assumed it was a bed, was the most comfortable thing she's ever touched in her life. She painfully pulled the comforters off of her and shifted herself off the bed, immediately regretting it. The tile floor made chills shoot through her body, and she realized that she wasn't wearing her normal clothing. Beautiful, musky scents filled her nose, and she briefly closed her eyes to enjoy them. She couldn't see what she was wearing, but it only covered up half of her body. Her legs were exposed to the frigid air, and she hugged herself, missing the warmth of that bed. Unfortunately, she can't get back in; she needs to know where she is. Her arms stretched out to search for a match or  _something_ to light her way. To her relief, she found a door. The handle was warm, and she assumed it was made of expensive wood. Maybe she was still dreaming?

Her eyes squinted as she slowly pulled it back, the light from the white hallway  _blinding._ She walked out with her eyes shut, attempting to adjust to the light. It took a few minutes, but when she came to, she almost collapsed in dread. She was still  _there._

"N-No...." she mumbled. She looked down to see herself wearing a massive tunic and no pants or shoes. She still had on her undergarment wrappings, but truly the tunic was all she had on. Her memories pounded into her head and gave her a migraine. _BB-8...Finn...My parents...._

 Frantic, she began to run. She turned corner after corner, but the damn place was like a maze. All of the halls looked the same, with that blinding white light and metal floor. She turned right, then left, then left, then right, and entered a large, empty room with several doorways. As soon as she took another step, all of the doors dropped shut and a familiar massive, dark figure with six guards approached her. 

"You're awake. I assume you know where you are by now," he spoke mechanically through his mask. Rey shook her head and turned around, banging at the closed door. The guards raised their arms to fire, but Ren dismissed the action.

" _Let me out_!" Rey screamed and kicked. Her voice was course and dry, and her limbs ached. The door didn't budge, so she ran to the next, and the next trying to escape. Ren just watched her wear herself out as she began to cry. 

"That's enough--look at me." Rey's body froze, her limbs paralyzed. "Our interrogation isn't over." He turned and dismissed the guards, "However, you've caught my attention."

Rey struggled, glaring at the monster of a man. She struggled to speak, spitting out inhumane noises and grunts. He crouched down and his helmet tilted towards her, as if he was preparing for a long conversation.

"Two weeks ago, I found you dead in my bathroom, reaching inside the bath. You were trying to reach for the water, weren't you?" He flicked his hand and Rey collapsed, heaving and coughing. She couldn't breathe or think...she  _wished_ she was dead in a bathroom. It took a minute or two to realize what he was asking.

"I'm not a waterbender," she heaved.

"But you're a healer. You knew you'd heal yourself if you touched the water." 

"I'm  _not a waterbender._ " There was a pause that made her aware of her breathing, of her pointless existence in the room, and how menacing  _he_ was. He was a shadow in a white room, hovering her and prodding her brain. She felt that he knew something she didn't, and that he could see right through her.

"No, you're not." He stood and faced a door, and for a small, hopefully moment, she thought he'd given up; that he'd leave. Until he turned his helmet. "You're the Avatar." The silence before was  _nothing_ compared to this one. She almost laughed if she weren't terrified of him. The accusation was utterly ludicrous. The tense silence was broken by his mechanic whisper, "I've finally caught you." 

"I don't know  _what_ the hell you're thinking, but I've never--" he pinched his fingers together and she couldn't breathe. 

" _Shut up._ You aren't a waterbender. No, not  _just_ a waterbender. You're a firebender and an earthbender as well." She was released, and all of the blood rushed away from her head. She was dizzy and couldn't see. Ren began to circle around her, just as he did when he interrogated her. "You freed yourself from that table. You melted and bended the metal. You broke open the door. You healed yourself _after_ death. You are the enemy of the Fire Nation, to me, and to the entire world." 

Rey started to laugh at him. She had a flashback to when she tried to waterbend, but instead she cried. She couldn't bend the earth, the earth just defied her. She remembered the furious nights when she had to accept that she was nobody. She's  _nobody._ She kept chuckling, even when Ren's massive hands pinned her shoulders to the wall. 

"I'm nobody," she heaved. Ren slammed her against the wall and she fell again, in even more pain. 

"You have two options, Avatar. I will honor your ancestry and you can choose to be treated rightfully until your execution. Or, you can be treated as a prisoner. It is your choice."

"Treated  _rightfully_? What the hell is that considered to be?" she squeaked. 

"You will remain in the room you woke and I will continue to feed and clothe you." 

That meant she could sleep in that bed, and it meant food. She could escape and  _live._ She considered for the smallest of moments until his words hit her.  _I will continue to feed and clothe you._ She was suddenly conscious of her clothing, and how her massive shirt matched his. She was wearing his clothes, which most likely meant she was in his bed. Sickened, she stood and glared at him. With a swift, firm movement, she removed the shirt and stood in her wrappings. She threw his shirt to the floor and clenched her fist.  _No_ _persuasion, this is for BB-8._ Ren stood, and she couldn't tell where his eyes were. After a minute, he said firmly, 

"Very well, you've made your decision."

 


End file.
